


Chicken pasta, though

by HighwayMan91



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: 2000s, 2006, Backstory, Gen, Other, ballum - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:21:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23697652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HighwayMan91/pseuds/HighwayMan91
Summary: A story, set in 2006, about the first time Callum Highway creates an "iconic" dish...
Kudos: 8





	Chicken pasta, though

* * *

_ Monday 6th March 2006 _

Entering the supermarket on his way to school, Callum knew exactly where to locate the essential ingredients he needed for today's Home Economics class.

\- 1 jar of pasta sauce

\- A box of lasagne sheets

\- A packet of 4 chicken breasts

\- A small block of cheese

As much as he'd love to enhance the list with an array of flavoursome herbs and spices, he knows he's got to do this "by the book".

Walking past the newly-installed self-service checkouts – which he thinks aren't worth bothering about if you don't get to chat to an actual person – Callum offers his basket to the checkout assistant, and once the transaction is complete, he puts the till receipt into his wallet to claim back his expenses once today's lesson's over.

-

Even though he's the only boy in the Home Economics class, Callum is never fazed.

 _Maybe the other girls take pity on poor Halfway as his Mum left him when he was a kid_ , the though lingers in his mind before, during and after the weekly lessons; _with his Dad, he's probably does everything in their house; no wonder he's the way he is._

 _They can think what they like_ , he says to himself.

-

As the class enters the room, Callum traverses to his workstation; his chosen spot was picked out on the first day of the course: one close to a cooker, a sink and a fridge; the latter from which he takes out the packet of chicken breasts and his small block of cheese, to complement the milk, flour and other staple ingredients which the teacher has provided.

This is the one subject where Callum's diligence shines at school: forget algebra, forget French irregular verb conjugations and forget the composition of chemical compounds – preparing and making wholesome, yet tasty, food is a practical, yet enjoyable process, one in which he can apply his mind and create decent results.

And diligent is how he always is in Home Economics: he borders on meticulous in checking he gets weights and measures exact; he is an ardent watcher of the clock to ensure the food is cooking for the correct duration; and when the dishes are brought out of the oven, he never fails to check they're really cooked through properly.

On Sunday evenings, Callum's head is found in his Home Economic textbooks, memorising the recipes he'll be attempting the following day.

He gets extra books from both the school and local libraries to expand his nutritional knowledge.

He even has one or two cookery books on his bedroom shelf, which sit proudly among other factual books he's been gifted as birthday and Christmas presents.

At Careers lessons every Wednesday, he reads online job profiles about being a chef or a caterer; he's seriously considering taking up a culinary profession, and his Careers teacher has encouraged him to contact restaurateurs around the East End about work experience.

Once he turns 16 in just over a year, he's going to call around the restaurants and take-aways around Canning Town to see if they're recruiting at present; if that fails, there's another option open – one it seems his father is excessively keen on him pursuing.

-

The lesson is almost over, and it's time for the dishes to be taken out of the oven.

Callum puts his arms into the gloves, and removes his dish, carrying it carefully across to his workstation.

As the teacher goes around the pupils to monitor how their dishes have turned out, and when approaching Callum, there's what appears to be an upturn in her facial expression.

"Now, yours is looking good, Callum... not burnt on the top, not under-done, nicely-filled layers..."

Many of the other girls smirk or roll their eyes in a mixture of jealousy and irritation; _Half-gay, teacher's bloody pet,_ is among the politest of thoughts.

-

On returning home, Callum heads straight towards the kitchen to place his creation into the oven to reheat for tea later.

Jonno, who's starting a night-shift in a few hours, distracts himself from the antiques programme he's pretending to watch on TV.

In the direction of the kitchen, he calls out, "What you made for me tea tonight then, chef?"

"Chicken lasagne, Dad," Callum replies.

Jonno is perplexed at such an unorthodox concoction; "What's wrong with good old beef?"

"Well, that's Home Economics for you;" Callum explains, knowing this rigmarole happens every Monday when he's back from school; "We don't always use posh ingredients, especially if we have to buy some of them ourselves."

His father still can't grasp the concept: "Chicken with pasta, though?"

While flustered at his dad's ignorance of all things foody, Callum, as ever, panders to him; "You can eat chicken with pasta – don't you ever look at the ready-meals section when you go to the shops?"

Moving to the door frame which partitions the kitchen from the living-room, the teenager continues: "Oh wait, I forgot... I do all the shopping 'round here, don't I?!"

"Er, I do my fair share of that, son," argues Jonno.

 _Yeh, from the wines and spirits section_ ; Callum thinks.

"I'll put the oven on in a bit," he utters; "Do you want any salad doin'?"

"Salad?!"

"It's good for you..."

 _How foolish of me to ask_ , ponders Callum as he goes back into the kitchen.

Without taking his eyes off the TV, Jonno adds; "They didn't serve salad with everything in the army. You'd get a decent meal; your meat, your two veg, and a pudding for afters."

As he gazes into the fridge to find the bag of salad he bought at the weekend, Callum rolls his eyes.

 _One day, someone'll appreciate me cooking for them every day_ , he thinks, _if anyone's really out there for me..._


End file.
